THURSDAY, JANUARY 10, 1985
+AS REGARDS THE POSITION OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK, I SHOULD LIKE TO EMPHASISE THAT BY NOT PROVIDING A SEPARATE CONSTITUENCY FOR THE KUK THERE IS NO INTENTION IN ANY WAY TO DIMINISH ITS ROLE, NOR TO IGNORE THE VALUABLE PART THAT IT HAS PLAYED IN THE AFFAIRS OF THE NEW TERRITORIES OVER THE YEARS. ON THE CONTRARY, SPECIAL CARE HAS BEEN TAKEN IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE NEW REGIONAL COUNCIL TO ENSURE THAT SUFFICIENT WEIGHT AND SPECIAL MEMBERSHIP HAS BEEN GIVEN TO THE KUK SO THAT THE IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION IT HAS MADE TO PUBLIC LIFE IS FULLY RECOGNISED. THE KUK WILL HAVE SUBSTANTIAL REPRESENTATION IN THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE REGIONAL COUNCIL, WHICH MEMBERSHIP WILL TAKE PART IN THE ELECTIONS FROM THAT BODY TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. THUS THE KUK WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO BE REPRESENTED ON THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THROUGH THE REGIONAL COUNCIL CONSTITUENCY.
+AS FOR THE GROUPINGS OF THE DISTRICT BOARDS IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE CONSTITUENCIES, THESE ARE CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST REALISTIC AND PRACTICAL WHICH CAN BE ACHIEVED AT THE PRESENT TIME. BUT I HAVE NOTED MRS PAULINE NG'S AND MR PETER POON'S VIEWS AS TO NUMBERS LATER ON. FINALLY WE SHALL GIVE CONSIDERATION IN THE LONGER TERM TO THE SUGGESTION PUT FORWARD CONCERNING AUTOMATIC REGISTRATION AND COMPULSORY VOTING. HOWEVER, I SHOULD JUST MENTION NOW THAT THE PRACTICAL PROBLEMS INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THOSE IDEAS ARE LIKELY TO BE VERY CONSIDERABLE.
+ IN MY SPEECH MOVING THIS MOTION, I MENTIONED THE EFFORTS BEING MADE TO ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIC EDUCATION IN HONG KONG, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO SCHOOLS. MANY MEMBERS INCLUDING MR ALEX WU, MRS RITA FAN, MR P.K. YEUNG, AND OTHERS, HAVE ALSO REFERRED TO THE IMPORTANCE OF CIVIC EDUCATION IN THEIR SPEECHES.
I NOTED MR ALEX WU, MR P.K. YEUNG AND MR KEITH LAM BY IMPLICATION, AND SOME OTHER MEMBERS, WHILE FULLY ENDORSING THESE EFFORTS, HAVE STRESSED THAT CIVIC EDUCATION SHOULD ALSO BE PROMOTED AMONG THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT ALL LEVELS, WITH PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON ADULT EDUCATION. THESE ARE MATTERS WHICH HAVE BEEN TAKEN SERIOUSLY BY THE GOVERNMENT AND BY THE EDUCATION COMMISSION WHICH, IN ITS FIRST REPORT PUBLISHED ONLY YESTERDAY, HAS INDICATED ITS INTENTION TO PURSUE THE MATTER IN THE SECOND PHASE OF ITS DELIBERATIONS. THE COMMISSION IS NOW CONSULTING THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE AND THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL ON THE PROMOTION OF CIVIC EDUCATION IN THE INSTITUTIONS WITHIN THE IR TERMS OF REFERENCE, HAVING ALREADY RECEIVED THE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S ENDORSEMENT OF THE CIVIC EDUCATION PLAN FOR SCHOOLS. THIS PLAN IS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMMES AND THOSE RUN BY SUBVENTED VOLUNTARY BODIES.
/+AS REGARDS